How do you bench without a spotter?

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StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Most at the gym can spot but I've never asked because I hate relying on their timing or whatever. Occasionally you'll get somebody who sucks at spoting and either spots far too early or waits until it's crashing back dwn toward you before lifting up, but most are pretty good.
 
Koing

Koing

Elite Member <br> Super Moderator<br> Health and F
Oct 11, 2000
16,843
2
0
Most gyms would go f0cking mental at you sliding the weight down one side and then the other. If you have 100kg+ at one point you the bar will be savagely unbalanced...

Best thing is to ask someone to spot or cut 1-2reps before you are going to really struggle. NOT IDEAL at all BUT A LOT SAFER then pushing hard and then failing to nail it. Best case situation is you manage to get the bar on to your chest and you roll it down your body until you can sit up with it. Worse case the bar crumples your neck and you die becuase you were too proud to ask for help...

Koing
 
Deeko

Deeko

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
30,213
12
81
Originally posted by: Koing
Most gyms would go f0cking mental at you sliding the weight down one side and then the other. If you have 100kg+ at one point you the bar will be savagely unbalanced...

Best thing is to ask someone to spot or cut 1-2reps before you are going to really struggle. NOT IDEAL at all BUT A LOT SAFER then pushing hard and then failing to nail it. Best case situation is you manage to get the bar on to your chest and you roll it down your body until you can sit up with it. Worse case the bar crumples your neck and you die becuase you were too proud to ask for help...

Koing
Click to expand...

Yes I would think doing heavy benching with the idea in mind that you'll let the weight slide off the bar at the end is incredibly unsafe - to you and to the people around you. That might be the worst thing you could do.

At any rate - if the gym has dumbbells heavy enough for you, just do that. SS even admits that dumbbells are actually a better exercise.
 
SearchMaster

SearchMaster

Diamond Member
Jun 6, 2002
7,791
114
106
I work out at home, almost never with a spotter. I'm generally pretty good at knowing my limits but once I tried a weight that I'd never had problems with but that particular day I was a bit weak I guess. I had to tilt it and let the weights slide off. I've been more careful ever since.
 
E

Eric62

Senior member
Apr 17, 2008
528
0
0
First choice: Bench in a power cage with safety bars as previously described. I use this method 2/3rds of the time as I only have a training partner one day a week.
Second choice: Bench without collars as previously mentioned.
Third choice: Ask somebody for a safety spot. They don't hand the bar off or even stand near me, but they watch to see that I'm OK.
If the cage and my training partner aren't available I'll combine the 2nd and 3rd choices for my heaviest sets.

I just googled "bench press deaths" and didn't come up with anything useful, but it's easy for me to imagine being suffocated by a 500 lb (or even 315 lbs after total failure) barbell stuck on your chest...
 
TallBill

TallBill

Lifer
Apr 29, 2001
46,017
62
91
Originally posted by: Eric62
First choice: Bench in a power cage with safety bars as previously described. I use this method 2/3rds of the time as I only have a training partner one day a week.
Second choice: Bench without collars as previously mentioned.
Third choice: Ask somebody for a safety spot. They don't hand the bar off or even stand near me, but they watch to see that I'm OK.
If the cage and my training partner aren't available I'll combine the 2nd and 3rd choices for my heaviest sets.

I just googled "bench press deaths" and didn't come up with anything useful, but it's easy for me to imagine being suffocated by a 500 lb (or even 315 lbs after total failure) barbell stuck on your chest...
Click to expand...

I've read of a few where the bar ultimately ended up on someone's neck.
 
SociallyChallenged

SociallyChallenged

Elite
Mar 22, 2002
10,483
32
81
Originally posted by: TallBill
Originally posted by: Eric62
First choice: Bench in a power cage with safety bars as previously described. I use this method 2/3rds of the time as I only have a training partner one day a week.
Second choice: Bench without collars as previously mentioned.
Third choice: Ask somebody for a safety spot. They don't hand the bar off or even stand near me, but they watch to see that I'm OK.
If the cage and my training partner aren't available I'll combine the 2nd and 3rd choices for my heaviest sets.

I just googled "bench press deaths" and didn't come up with anything useful, but it's easy for me to imagine being suffocated by a 500 lb (or even 315 lbs after total failure) barbell stuck on your chest...
Click to expand...

I've read of a few where the bar ultimately ended up on someone's neck.
Click to expand...

Who needs blood flow to their brain anyhow? Oh, plus a crushed trachea. That all sounds very lovely, lol. What were the outcomes to those stories? Sounds pretty bad.
 
M

MotF Bane

No Lifer
Dec 22, 2006
60,801
10
0
Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged
Originally posted by: TallBill
Originally posted by: Eric62
First choice: Bench in a power cage with safety bars as previously described. I use this method 2/3rds of the time as I only have a training partner one day a week.
Second choice: Bench without collars as previously mentioned.
Third choice: Ask somebody for a safety spot. They don't hand the bar off or even stand near me, but they watch to see that I'm OK.
If the cage and my training partner aren't available I'll combine the 2nd and 3rd choices for my heaviest sets.

I just googled "bench press deaths" and didn't come up with anything useful, but it's easy for me to imagine being suffocated by a 500 lb (or even 315 lbs after total failure) barbell stuck on your chest...
Click to expand...

I've read of a few where the bar ultimately ended up on someone's neck.
Click to expand...

Who needs blood flow to their brain anyhow? Oh, plus a crushed trachea. That all sounds very lovely, lol. What were the outcomes to those stories? Sounds pretty bad.
Click to expand...

Here's one...

"Associated Press - November 14, 2008 5:14 PM ET

NEW LONDON, Iowa (AP) - A 13-year-old New London boy has died while lifting weights after authorities say he became stuck under a bench press bar.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation says that Malcolm Magel was found by his sister Thursday afternoon in their southeast Iowa home. Emergency crews responding to the boy's home were unable to revive him and Magel was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities say an autopsy conducted Friday showed Magel died of asphyxia, due to compression of the neck. They say Magel became pinned beneath the weight bar and couldn't move the weights off his neck.

The death was ruled accidental."
 
E

everman

Lifer
Nov 5, 2002
11,288
1
0
There's always dumbbells, unless your gym doesn't stock ones that are heavy enough. I switched to using dumbbells primarily, no spotter needed, and it's more difficult. I've heard that they help focus more on stabilizing muscles, but I really don't know the truth to that. Been thinking of going back to barbell though, I can lift a lot more weight that way.
 
E

Eric62

Senior member
Apr 17, 2008
528
0
0
Yes DB's require more of your stabilizer muscles, which is why you can't lift as heavy, and most likely (IMO) will develop less muscle than with a BB.
Also (IMO) once you get strong enough to handle 150 lbers it's not safer at all, and usually requires a talented spotter (or a very coordinated double knee kick - lol) to get the weights into proper position and to assist with an elbow push if you get stuck. Unless your strong enough to do a unsupported sit up with two 150 lb DB's then you'll need to drop them when finished with your set without bending them, which will happen if dropped on their ends. DB's dropped horizontally wont bend, otherwise their at risk of damage.
Way to much unproductive work.
After BB benching I do DB fly's for pec isolation which I believe adequately works the stabilizer muscles as well.
 
C

classy

Lifer
Oct 12, 1999
15,219
1
81
Originally posted by: Deeko
I just do it. I've been lifting alone for the past 4-5 years, I'm well aware of where my limits are.
Click to expand...

5 years for me as well.
 
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